Edward p



(No Model.)

B. P. MATTHEWS.

EXHIBITING CASE;

- Patented D69. 27; 1892.

a 3511 612mm 71-1: NORRXS PETERS 00,. Puoruumm WASHINGTON, a. c.

ATENT Fries.

EDWARD P. MATTHEWS, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

EX HlBlTlNG-CASE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 488,715, dated December 2'7, 1892. Application filed July 28, 1892. Serial No. 441,446, (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD P. MATTHEWS, of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State ofIndiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Exhibiting-Cases; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which like figures refer to like parts.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in exhibiting cases, and to one that is especially adapted for use in exhibiting hosiery, although it may be used for other purposes, and it consists more particularly in the manner and means for holding the articles exhibited in position within the drawers.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the case, one of the drawers being partly drawn out. Fig. 2 is a plan view of one of the drawers removed. Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal section through a part of the drawer and one of the spring holders. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of one of the holders. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the spring holders for the lower end of the hosiery.

In detail, 1 represents a case of any suitable construction or form, and having an open front, 2 being a curtain working in grooves 3 in the sides of the case and adapted to close the front of the same.

4. are drawers which are supported within the case in any suitable manner, and their fronts being open, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. The spring holders or clamps are formed in two pieces 5 and 6, the part 5 being rigidly secured to the back of the drawer, and the movable part or holder 6 hinged to the first at the top, a spring 7 being secured at the hinging point, and its tension being to force the holder 6 downward.

8 is a knob or handle at the outer end of the holder 6 for raising it as desired. To the lower end or base of the rigid piece 5 is se cured a vertical rod or wire 9 which extends upward and within the hinged holder 6, a notch 10 being formed in the upper end of the wire which is adapted to engage with the cross piece 11 of the holder when the latter is raised, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

12 represents a number of flat stiffening pieces formed of any suitable material or shape, and each having an opening or hole at one end, and these are adapted to fit over the top of the vertical wire 9, as shown.

The hosiery is put within the drawers in the manner shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the upper end of a single pair being inserted between each of the stiffening pieces 12, and as many pairs as desired may be put in place in the drawers, the spring holder bearing down upon the top of the upper stiffening piece, and the lower end of the hosiery being retained in position by a small holder constructed in any suitable manner, one form being shown in Fig. 5, which consists of a single piece of wire 13, coils being formed in it, and its ends being sharpened at 14 which may be forced into the bottom of the drawer. Label tags 15 are adapted to be secured to the spring end for marking the number and price of the hosiery. Heretofore various sizes and styles of hosiery have been kept in different boxes, and much time is lost in going through them, and it is very difficult to satisfactorily examine them, or find a certain line of goods without going through a great number of boxes, and thehandling of several pairs of hosiery in a box to find one pair, soils and injures the goods. By the use of my case the hosiery is put in the same according to the sizes and quality, and the pairs need not be tacked together, nor the price labels secured to the goods, as heretofore, as the number and prices are marked on the labels attached to the lower spring holders, and the various styles and sizes can readily be exhibited without removing them from their places, and by the use of the upper spring holders and the stiffening pieces a single pair of hosiery can readily be removed without in the least disturbing the rest, no matter whether it be the upper, lower, or central pair, and as soon as one pair has been removed,the contents of the case are in substantially the same condition and order as they were before.

When an entire line or size of hosiery has been sold or removed from the case, all that is necessary to do in refilling it is to lift up the spring holder 6 to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3, where its cross piece 11 will engage with the notch 10 in the vertical rod or wire 9, and be retained in that position, and a new lot may readily be put in position.

Should any more stiffening pieces be required than there are on the wires, by lifting the holder is up to nearly a vertical position, the number of new holders desired may be slipped over the top of the wire without any trouble.

It is possible to omit the spring 7 and depend upon the backward tension of the rod 9 as it bears against the cross piece 11 to spring the holder 6 down, without departing from the spirit of my invention, but such an arrangement would not act so positively or satisfactorily as with the use of the spring 7.

I do not desire to limit the location of the holder in my invention to any particular part of the drawer or case. The same can be placed where desired. If it be desired to have the outer ends of the hosiery in the different parts of the drawer even, the holders at the other end can be attached to the bottom of the drawer insuch places as will effect this object.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is the following:

1. A holder for exhibiting cases consisting of an arm hinged to the case, a cross piece to such arm, a spring wire or rod fixed to such case and adapted to bear against such cross plece and force down the outer end of such arm, a notch in such spring wire or rod adapted to engage with such cross piece when the arm is raised and thereby retain it in such raised position,substantiallyas shown and described.

2. In an exhibiting case, drawers movable therein, a series of spring controlled holders secured in such drawers adapted to bear upon the exhibited goods, and a number of stiffening pieces adapted to be interposed between the articles exhibited, substantially as shown and described.

3. A spring holder for exhibiting cases having a pivoted arm adapted to bear on the articles exhibited, a spring wire or rod having a notch in its upper end adapted to engage with a cross piece on such arm when raised to retain it in such position and a number of stiffening pieces adapted to work loosely on such rod and to be interposed between the articles exhibited, substantially as shown and described.

4. A holder for exhibiting cases consisting of a main or base piece, an arm hinged thereto, and a spring secured at such hinging point, whereby the arm is adapted to bear on the articles exhibited, a wire or rod secured to the base of the holder and adapted to engage with a cross piece of the arm when raised, and retain it in such position, and a number of stiffening pieces working loosely on such rod and adapted to be interposed between the articles exhibited, substantially as shown and described.

5. In an exhibiting case, drawers movable therein, a series of spring-controlled holders secured in such drawers and adapted to bear upon the exhibited goods, a wire or rod adapted to engage with the holder when raised, andretain it in such position, and a number of stiffening pieces adapted to work loosely on such rod and to be interposed between the articles exhibited, substantially as shown and described.

6. In an exhibiting case, a number of drawers adapted to move therein, a number of spring controlled holders attached to the back 

